diff --git a/sys/compat/cloudabi/cloudabi_file.c b/sys/compat/cloudabi/cloudabi_file.c
--- a/sys/compat/cloudabi/cloudabi_file.c
+++ b/sys/compat/cloudabi/cloudabi_file.c
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@
 
 	error = kern_linkat(td, uap->fd1.fd, uap->fd2, path1, path2,
 	    UIO_SYSSPACE, (uap->fd1.flags & CLOUDABI_LOOKUP_SYMLINK_FOLLOW) ?
-	    FOLLOW : NOFOLLOW);
+	    AT_SYMLINK_FOLLOW : 0);
 	cloudabi_freestr(path1);
 	cloudabi_freestr(path2);
 	return (error);
diff --git a/sys/compat/linux/linux_file.c b/sys/compat/linux/linux_file.c
--- a/sys/compat/linux/linux_file.c
+++ b/sys/compat/linux/linux_file.c
@@ -1111,7 +1111,7 @@
 
 	if (!LUSECONVPATH(td)) {
 		return (kern_linkat(td, AT_FDCWD, AT_FDCWD, args->path, args->to,
-		    UIO_USERSPACE, FOLLOW));
+		    UIO_USERSPACE, AT_SYMLINK_FOLLOW));
 	}
 	LCONVPATHEXIST(td, args->path, &path);
 	/* Expand LCONVPATHCREATE so that `path' can be freed on errors */
@@ -1121,7 +1121,7 @@
 		return (error);
 	}
 	error = kern_linkat(td, AT_FDCWD, AT_FDCWD, path, to, UIO_SYSSPACE,
-	    FOLLOW);
+	    AT_SYMLINK_FOLLOW);
 	LFREEPATH(path);
 	LFREEPATH(to);
 	return (error);
@@ -1132,18 +1132,19 @@
 linux_linkat(struct thread *td, struct linux_linkat_args *args)
 {
 	char *path, *to;
-	int error, olddfd, newdfd, follow;
+	int error, olddfd, newdfd, flag;
 
 	if (args->flag & ~LINUX_AT_SYMLINK_FOLLOW)
 		return (EINVAL);
 
+	flag = (args->flag & LINUX_AT_SYMLINK_FOLLOW) == 0 ? AT_SYMLINK_FOLLOW :
+	    0;
+
 	olddfd = (args->olddfd == LINUX_AT_FDCWD) ? AT_FDCWD : args->olddfd;
 	newdfd = (args->newdfd == LINUX_AT_FDCWD) ? AT_FDCWD : args->newdfd;
-	follow = (args->flag & LINUX_AT_SYMLINK_FOLLOW) == 0 ? NOFOLLOW :
-	    FOLLOW;
 	if (!LUSECONVPATH(td)) {
 		return (kern_linkat(td, olddfd, newdfd, args->oldname,
-		    args->newname, UIO_USERSPACE, follow));
+		    args->newname, UIO_USERSPACE, flag));
 	}
 	LCONVPATHEXIST_AT(td, args->oldname, &path, olddfd);
 	/* Expand LCONVPATHCREATE so that `path' can be freed on errors */
@@ -1152,7 +1153,7 @@
 		LFREEPATH(path);
 		return (error);
 	}
-	error = kern_linkat(td, olddfd, newdfd, path, to, UIO_SYSSPACE, follow);
+	error = kern_linkat(td, olddfd, newdfd, path, to, UIO_SYSSPACE, flag);
 	LFREEPATH(path);
 	LFREEPATH(to);
 	return (error);
diff --git a/sys/kern/vfs_syscalls.c b/sys/kern/vfs_syscalls.c
--- a/sys/kern/vfs_syscalls.c
+++ b/sys/kern/vfs_syscalls.c
@@ -1495,7 +1495,7 @@
 {
 
 	return (kern_linkat(td, AT_FDCWD, AT_FDCWD, uap->path, uap->link,
-	    UIO_USERSPACE, FOLLOW));
+	    UIO_USERSPACE, AT_SYMLINK_FOLLOW));
 }
 
 #ifndef _SYS_SYSPROTO_H_
@@ -1518,8 +1518,7 @@
 		return (EINVAL);
 
 	return (kern_linkat(td, uap->fd1, uap->fd2, uap->path1, uap->path2,
-	    UIO_USERSPACE, at2cnpflags(flag, AT_SYMLINK_FOLLOW |
-	    AT_RESOLVE_BENEATH | AT_EMPTY_PATH)));
+	    UIO_USERSPACE, flag));
 }
 
 int hardlink_check_uid = 0;
@@ -1563,15 +1562,16 @@
 
 int
 kern_linkat(struct thread *td, int fd1, int fd2, const char *path1,
-    const char *path2, enum uio_seg segflag, int follow)
+    const char *path2, enum uio_seg segflag, int flag)
 {
 	struct nameidata nd;
 	int error;
 
 	do {
 		bwillwrite();
-		NDINIT_ATRIGHTS(&nd, LOOKUP, follow | AUDITVNODE1, segflag,
-		    path1, fd1, &cap_linkat_source_rights, td);
+		NDINIT_ATRIGHTS(&nd, LOOKUP, AUDITVNODE1 | at2cnpflags(flag,
+		    AT_SYMLINK_FOLLOW | AT_RESOLVE_BENEATH | AT_EMPTY_PATH),
+		    segflag, path1, fd1, &cap_linkat_source_rights, td);
 		if ((error = namei(&nd)) != 0)
 			return (error);
 		NDFREE(&nd, NDF_ONLY_PNBUF);
diff --git a/sys/sys/syscallsubr.h b/sys/sys/syscallsubr.h
--- a/sys/sys/syscallsubr.h
+++ b/sys/sys/syscallsubr.h
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@
 int	kern_kldstat(struct thread *td, int fileid, struct kld_file_stat *stat);
 int	kern_kldunload(struct thread *td, int fileid, int flags);
 int	kern_linkat(struct thread *td, int fd1, int fd2, const char *path1,
-	    const char *path2, enum uio_seg segflg, int follow);
+	    const char *path2, enum uio_seg segflg, int flag);
 int	kern_listen(struct thread *td, int s, int backlog);
 int	kern_lseek(struct thread *td, int fd, off_t offset, int whence);
 int	kern_lutimes(struct thread *td, const char *path, enum uio_seg pathseg,